Catsup transfer frame

ABSTRACT

D R A W I N G 1. A DEVICE TO EFFECT THE TRANSFER OF CATSUP FROM A PARTIALLY FILLED BOTTLE TO ANOTHER BOTTLE BY MEANS OF GRAVITY ACTUATED TRANSFER CONSISTING OF: A FRAME OF SEVERAL JOINED PLASTIC RINGS, WITH EACH RING BINDING A FLEXIBLE PLASTIC COUPLING COLLAR THAT IS ADAPTABLE TO SERVE AS A LOCKING FRAME FOR HOLDING AN INVERTED CATSUP BOTTLE FIRMLY ABOVE AN UPRIGHT CATSUP BOTTLE WHERE THE NECKS OF BOTH CATSUP BOTTLES ARE FASTENED INTO THE SAME PLASTIC COLLAR, IN WHICH THE FLEXIBLE PLASTIC COLLAR IS OF A HOLLOW BALLON TIRE SHAPE.

United States Patent [191 Guerard [111 3,853,159 45] Dec. l0, 1974 [75] Inventor:

[ 1 CATSUP TRANSFER FRAME Allen D. Guerard, Staten lsland, NY.

[73] Assignee: The Raymond Lee Organization,

Inc., New York, N.Y., a part interest [22] Filed: July 13, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 271,280

[52] U. S. Cl 141/364, 141/319, 222/181 [51] lnt. Cl B65b H04 [58] Field of Search 222/180, 181, 185, 568;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 0,161,933 4/1875 Collier 211/74 3,163,448 12/1964 Franklin 285/137 R 8/1966 McHale 141/319 3,615,150 10/1971 lndrunas 141/364 3,261,380 7/1966 Holleman..... 3,620,267 11/1971 Seablom 141/319 Primary ExaminerStanley H. Tollberg Assistant ExaminerH. Grant Skaggs, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmHoward 1. Podell [57] ABSTRACT A device for the consolidation of catsup from partially filled bottles by means of gravity actuated transfer to a common bottle. The device consists of a frame of joined plastic coated metal rings, with each ring binding a flexible plastic collar that serves as the locking means for holding an inverted bottle of catsup against an upright receiving bottle to effect the gravity actuated transfer.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures CATSUP-TRANSFER FRAME SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

This invention relates to a device for use in effecting a gravity actuated transfer of catsup from several partially filled bottles for the purpose of consolidation of such catsup in one bottle. 7

An advantage of the invention is that it is of simple construction and permits the conservation of catsup which would otherwise be discarded because of the difficulty and time required in pouring the last remnants of catsup from a partially empty bottle.

A further advantage of this invention is that the transfer of catsup is accomplished in an unattended manner and in a sanitary fashion, with the catsup being directly transferred to a bottle from which it will be directly dispensed. Potential contamination of large batches of conserved catsup is thus avoided by this invention.

The device consists of a frame of several plastic coated metal rings, with each ring binding a flexible plastic collar which serves as a compact locking frame to hold an inverted catsup bottle firmly to an upright bottle for the purpose of transferring catsup from the inverted bottle to the upright bottle below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING:

The objects and features of the invention may be understood with reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawing in which: I

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention with a fragmentary outline of catsup bottles attached to the frame for effecting the transfer of catsup;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view'of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-section in elevation of the invention taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

Turning now descriptively to the drawing, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIG. 1-4 illustrate the device consisting of four flexible plastic collars 15, each collar retained by a metal ring 16, with all metal rings 16 being joined together at their'points 25 of common tangency as shown in FIG. 1 or alternately joined to metal crossbars 17 as shown in FIG. 2. The metal rings 16 are preferably cushioned by a plastic coating of vinyl or nylon, said plastic coating acting also to protect the metal of the rings 16 from corrosion or other unsanitary effects.

In use, the neck 18 of an inverted catsup bottle 12 is fitted into the inner circumference of a flexible plastic collar 15 to rest firmly against the neck 19 of an upright bottle 11 which is also fitted into the inner circumference of the same plastic collar 15. The catsup in the inverted bottle 12 drains under the effect of gravity into the upright bottle below without requiring any supervision or assistance of an attendant.

An important feature of this invention is the relative stability furnished by the use of multiple rings 16 and collars 15 so that two or more inverted bottles 12 may be joined to an equal number of upright bottles 11. Catsup bottles are particularly distinguished by the disproportionate ratio of height to base so that when a catsup transfer mechanism provides means solely to invert one catsup bottle over one upright bottle, the structure of such a transfer mechanism is quite unstable and readily subject to upset and spillage caused by minor environmental vibration or shock.

In this invention, the frame of multiple bound collars 15 permits the ensuring of the stability of the device 10 by means of mounting two or more upright bottles to joined collars 15 at all times.

While the preferred embodiment has been illustrated as consisting of a unit of four joined collars l5, alternate embodiments of equal utility and practicability may be formed utilizing units of three joined collars 15. The three collars may be joined in a triangular configuration with each collar being mounted tangent to two adjoining collars, or the three collars may be joined in linear configuration.

The flexible plastic collar 15, which holds both the necks l8 and 19 of the catsup bottles 11 and 12, may be fabricated in the shape of a solid doughnut or it may be fabricated in the shape of a hollow balloon tire. In the preferred embodiment, the free diameter of the aperture 21 of the collar 15 is less than seven-eighths of an inch so as to grip the neck of a standard catsup bottle, with the height of the collar 15 being I V2 inches.

l. A device to effect the transfer of catsup from a partially filled bottle to another bottle by means of gravity actuated transfer consisting of a frame of several joined plastic rings, with each ring binding a flexible plastic coupling collar that is adaptable to serve as a locking frame for holding an inverted catsup bottle firmly above an upright catsup bottle where the necks of both catsup bottles are fastened into the same plastic collar, in which the flexible plastic collar is of a hollow balloon tire shape.

2. A device to simultaneously effect the transfer of catsup from several partially filled inverted bottles to other erect bottles, by means of gravity actuated transfer, said device maintaining the axis of the attached bottles securely in the verticle position during the transfer operation, consisting of a frame of several joined plastic rings, with each ring binding a flexible plastic coupling collar that is adaptable to serve as a locking frame for holding an individual inverted catsup bottle firmly above another individual upright catsup bottle fastened into the same plastic collar.

3. The combination as recited in claim 2 together with several erect catsup bottles to which the device is attached, said erect bottles serving as a stable base for the device. 

